Interview with Mira Grant

Here is a great interview by Jeff VanderMeer with Mira Grant the author of Feed (which I read here) and now Deadline (which I am reading right now).

Just passing it on...

What I'm Reading: Warm Bodies

Recently I finished the post-apocalyptic zombie novel, Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion.  Wait right there.  I know what you are thinking, "another post-apocalyptic zombie novel."  But this one is different.

Warm Bodies is Marion's first novel, and it is remarkable for what it is not.  It is not a story of how people are surviving after zombies rise up and destroy life as we know it.  Rather it is the story of a zombie, R, who cannot remember his life before he was a zombie, but with the help of Julie, his human friend, he is beginning to heal.

That's right, I said heal.  The zombie virus appears to be mutating.  And R and Julie, and their human-zombie friendship is leading toward a new future for life on earth by book's end.

I don't want to give much more away about the plot, rather, I want to talk about the appeal-- the "why" you would want to read this novel.

The main appeal to this story are the two main characters and their evolving relationship:  R (the zombie) and Julie (the young adult human). The entire book is from R's point of view.  He is an evolving zombie.  He is healing from the virus that made him a man-eating monster.  Through his relationship with Julie, he is learning to become human again.  As the two grow closer, Jule shares her personal thoughts about how humanity is choosing to live now. I was enthralled by R, how he evolves, and how together with Julie they tried to "change the world."

Since this novel is character centered over action centered, the pace is not super fast, but it is also not slow either.  It would call it "steadily building."  The pace is appropriate to the thought-provoking nature of the story.  As readers, we need a breather from the tense scenes so that we can sit back and process what just happened.  This is a novel of ideas, big ideas, about human civilization and life.  We experience it all through R and Julie, but we readers need time to think about things for ourselves too.

This novel is also appealing because it is so unexpected.  Yes, there have been zombie novels from the zombie's perspective before, but never have I read one that looks at the possibility of the zombies healing and rejoining the world, albeit a totally new world from the one we actually live in.  It is not just the overall theme and plot that are unexpected though.  R and Julie are interesting and original characters.  For someone who reads a lot of zombie books, it was nice to read one that surprised me.

I also want to comment on the setting, which I found extraordinary.  Interestingly, in Marion's imagination of a post-apocalyptic world, humans have turned their huge sports stadiums into new cities.  The scenes when R goes into the human settlement and describes what he sees were riveting.  It was a completely original way to look at how we would organize our lives after everything has collapsed.  Despite the overwhelming mass of fiction which has looked at this issue in the past, Marion managed to add something new to the pile.  I would suggest this book to readers just for these few chapters alone.

So it must now be asked, is Warm Bodies horror?  In the new book, I define horror as, "a story in which the author manipulates the readers' emotions by introducing situations in which unexplainable phenomena and unearthly creatures threaten the protagonists and provoke terror in the reader."

I think the answer to this question may depend on the reader.  The main goal of this novel is to explore the zombie apocalypse and posit a solution, a chance for the virus to be cured, and for civilization to go on again.  However, the unease is huge here.  Since we are in the head of a zombie (who does eat people during the book), we, the readers, are never fully at ease.  Even as our sympathy for R grows, we never fully trust him.  The book does not work if Marion does not play with our emotions and keep us unsteady, engrossed, and ultimately scared of what is coming next.

I would say that Warm Bodies is part of the "new" type of horror as begun by Joe Hill in Horns.  Click here to see where I discuss this issue in detail.  So be prepared to be frightened, but in an unexpected way.

Three Words That Describe This Book: thought-provoking, character-centered, unexpected

Where This Book Took Me (summer reading feature): post-apocalyptic America; into the brain of a zombie.

Readalikes:  The new book has a great chapter on zombie books.  If you haven't been able to tell by now, zombie books are my personal favorite horror stories.  So I have a ton of suggestions for sure bet zombie reads listed in there.  But specifically here, readers who liked the more thought-provoking style with a character centered (not action oriented) focus should try the following books featuring zombies:

• Dust by Joan Frances Turner
• The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell
• Handling the Undead by John Ajvide Lindqvist
• Pariah by Bob Fingerman

The annotations for these suggestions will all appear in Chapter 7-- Zombies: Following the Walking Dead of the new book.

I did also see one Amazon reviewer liken R to Edward Scissorhands. I totally agree. So if you like that movie, try Warm Bodies.

Of course there is also an entire cottage industry in nonfiction zombie survival guides.  It all started with The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead by Max Brooks.  But click through and see what else customers bought and you will find nonfiction options like this, this, and this.  

And don't forget the book you should suggest to R to read for himself (now that he is beginning to regain that skill): So Now You're a Zombie: A Handbook for the Newly Undead.

Stoker Awards Announced Last Night

Congrats to all of the winners...

HWA Announces 2010 Bram Stoker Award Winners

Superior Achievement in a NOVEL

A DARK MATTER by Peter Straub

Superior Achievement in a First Novel (tie)

BLACK AND ORANGE by Benjamin Kane Ethridge
CASTLE OF LOS ANGELES by Lisa Morton

Superior Achievement in Long Fiction

INVISIBLE FENCES by Norman Prentiss

Superior Achievement in Short Fiction

THE FOLDING MAN by Joe R. Lansdale

Superior Achievement in an Anthology

HAUNTED LEGENDS edited by Ellen Datlow and Nick Mamatas

Superior Achievement in a Collection

FULL DARK, NO STARS by Stephen King

Superior Achievement in Nonfiction

TO EACH THEIR DARKNESS by Gary A. Braunbeck

Superior Achievement in a Poetry Collection

DARK MATTERS by Bruce Boston

HWA 2010 SPECIALTY PRESS AWARD GOES TO DARK REGIONS PRESS

ANGEL LEIGH McCOY AWARDED 2010 SILVER HAMMER AWARD

MICHAEL COLANGELO AWARDED 2010 RICHARD LAYMON AWARD

Horror Audiobook Reviews

One of the arguments I make in Chapter 13 of the new book (available for pre-order now) is that horror works really well in audio.  In my book, I discuss this issue further and also provide a list of 10 sure bet audiobook for horror fans that are easily available at the public library.

However, this list is only a starting point. I am always on the lookout for more horror audiobook review sites. Recently I came across Audiobook Heaven, an audiobook review blog. They not only do a good job reviewing audiobooks, but also, they label each review well.  Any and all possible genres that the title could even remotely be classified as are included here.  In this time of blurring genre lines, their comprehensive labeling is much appreciated.

Use the following links to search Audiobook Heaven for yourself to find some audio tales of terror.  Happy Listening!

• Horror
• Suspense
• Supernatural
• Paranormal
• Psychological
  

Watch the Stoker Awards LIVE this Saturday Night!

The Horror Writers Association has asked its members to spread the word that they are offering a live feed of the Stoker broadcast beginning at 9:30 this Saturday, June 18th.

Please use this link: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/horror-writer-awards to join the party. 

Here is the official website for Stoker Weekend 2011.

And as a reminder here are all of the nominees.  I am glad I wasn't eligible to vote.  How to choose between Joe Hill and Jonathan Maberry?

What I'm Reading: Rot and Ruin

Jonathan Maberry is one of my favorite horror writers.  This year he started a YA zombie series.  Back in September, before the first book in the series, Rot & Ruin came out, I posted this interview with Maberry.

Of course, the book was on my to-read list from that moment on.  To help matters along, this year's bibliography for the Adult Reading Round Table will be focused on YA titles.  All of us on the Steering Committee will be reading 1 YA title that would be good for adults, and 1 adult title that would be good for teens.  I put myself down for Rot & Ruin (teen to adult) and The Radleys by Matt Haig (Adult to teen).

So with all of that hype, how could the book have lived up.  I will tell you I thoroughly enjoyed reading Rot & Ruin, but I should warn readers, it is very typically and YA novel.  If you are not used to reading YA I should let you know what to expect: absent parents, teenaged protagonist, tough moral choices, huge coming-of-age theme.  Also, while many reviews claim this novel has more violence and gore than most YA horror, if you read Maberry's adult novels, this one is tame in comparison.

Here is the basic plot.  Benny Imura was a baby when the zombie apocalypse came.  He was saved by his half brother Tom, but their parents were victims.  It is now 14 years later and Benny and Tom live in a town in CA surrounded by fences.  The rules are, 6 months after your 15th Birthday all residents need to pick a career and help out.  Benny is up against the deadline and reluctantly agrees to join the family business.  Tom is a bounty hunter who kills zombies outside the walls of town in what is known as "The Rot and Ruin."  But, he is a gentle and good bounty killer.

Once Benny accompanies Tom on his rounds outside the safety of town, Benny's entire life is turned upside down.  He must confront his own preconceived notions about the world and address his personal feelings about his brother, his friends, and his former heroes.  In short, he must reevaluate everything he has ever known.

This is a powerfully moving story.  The world Maberry has set up is one of the best post-apocalyptic zombie settings I have ever read; and believe me, I have read many.  The descriptions of how the zombies rose, why they took over, and how society now functions is detailed and interesting.  Anyone interested in post-apocalyptic tales of any kind will like this novel.

The characters are well drawn, complex, and interesting, and not just the main characters.  Also, one of Maberry's specialties is creating really evil human villains.  He is on top of his game here.  The zombies are well described, the fight scenes compelling and scary, and the over all tone is anxious and frightening.  The end is resolved and touching  but with the hint of more adventures to come.

The pace is classic horror:  begins with a foreboding scene, then backs up to fill us in on details, and beings to build steadily until the end, when it picks up and races to the finish.  Like all good horror, the story is only taking a breather at the novel's end.  We know there will be more bad guys and zombies to come.

Readers will fall in love with Maberry's storytelling style.  It is compelling, action packed, full of great characters, and awesomely evil villains.  The man rarely gets a bad review from the professionals or readers.  In my new book, Maberry is grouped with Joe Hill as the "New Kings of Horror."  If you like horror at all, read something by Jonathan Maberry.

Rot & Ruin was on the 2011 YALSA list of Best Fiction for Young Adults.  August sees the release of part 2, Dust & Decay.  Great covers by the way.

Three Words That Describe This Book: post-apocalyptic, coming-of-age, difficult choices

Readalikes:  Zombies are everywhere these days, and I love every minute of them.  But in this case, a readalike would need to be okay for a YA audience too.

Many readers cite The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (also a series) as a great readalike.  Apparently, Ryan's novel is a also less graphic.

People who enjoyed Feed by Mira Grant or The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell will also enjoy this novel.  Click here for my joint review of these two novels.

Charlie Higson's Enemy series or Patrick Ness' Chaos Walking series are also great suggestions here.

Another good post-apocalyptic novel without zombies, but with a similar feel and a high quality of writing for a YA book, is How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff.

Also, Benny has a lot in common with Katniss from the Hunger Games trilogy.

I could go on forever with suggested readalike options, but I will stop with this one: The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead by Max Brooks.  Read up and be prepared...

The Book is Done!

I know you have been able to pre-order The Readers' Advisory Guide to Horror, second edition for awhile now, but until about 30 minutes ago, the publisher did not have it yet.

Now the editors at ALA Editions have possession of the book and it will definitely make it for its scheduled Fall 2011 release.

This means I can now focus my horror writing energy here on the blog.  Look for more regular posting come June 1.